15 - immunoassays Flashcards
2 methods of using antibodies in diagnostics
tracking pathogens in their natural environment
looking at what circulating biomarkers are present in the blood
qualitative measurements
allow you to look at where things are distributed
quantitative measurements
allow you to measure how much antigen is present
qualitative immunoassay formats (4)
qualitative: Ouchterlony Immunodiffusion Immunofluorescence Immunoelectron gold microscopy Western Blotting
ouchterlony immunodiffusion (OID)
detects antibody-antigen interactions
allows indentification of similarities between antigenic properties of two unknown solutions
indication of +ve OID test
precipitin lines seen in agar gel
method of OID
place both into a plate of agar and allow them to diffuse towards each other
uses of OID test
forms basis of allergen tests
Has the patient got circulating antibodies against an allergen?
Is there more than one source of allergen causing the problem?
why is formation of immune complexes (antigen-antibody) important
larger bodies are easier for macrophages to destroy
problem with too little antigen in OID testing
antibody concentration too high
immune complexes cannot form
no agglutination
no precipitation
problem with too much antigen in OID testing
antibody concentration too low
antigen excess
steric hinderance
immune complexes cannot form
in OID, if precipitin lines fuse completely into 1 smooth arc…
then the test has shown the presence of
identical antigenic determinants in the sample
in OID, if the precipitin lines cross but without any interaction…
then the two solutions dont share any common determinants detectable by antiserum
they react but are not related
OID:
if the precipitin lines fuse, but an additional spur forms towards the well containing solution…
the the two solutions share some common determinants but solution A has additional unique determinant detected by the antiserum
western blotting
means of looking at antigenic similarity
specific antibodies used to identify particular antigens in a mixture of proteins that have been resolved and transferred to a membrane
protein separation technique in western blotting
SDS-PAGE
method of western blotting
separation of proteins from mixture using SDS-PAGE
transfer by electroblotting
incubate with specific antibodies for the target antigen
unbound antibodies washed away
location of bound antibodies identified using colour marker
what does PAGE stand for
POLY-ACRYLAMIDE GEL ELECTROPHORESIS
speed of migration of in an electrical field depends on…
the dimension, form and charge of the molecules
high molecular weight proteins found at the top of the gel
use of SDS
provides molecules with negative charge
so charge does not affect separation
why do we denature proteins in western blotting
to break disulphide bridges
SDS-PAGE in 1D
one dimension of separation
all given same -ve charge, proteins separate according to molecular weight
SDS-PAGE in 2D
2 dimensions of separation:
1- separate proteins on basis of pH - according to charge
2 - separation according to molecular weight - SDS electrophoresis
use of secondary antibody in western blotting
used as a recording molecule
e. g.
- conjugate anti-mouse antibody to fc domain of primary antibody that is being inserted and tested
- enzyme on secondary antibody will convert substrate to a different colour